The Princess & The Twilight Blade

Audrey

The sound of wood striking wood echoed around the forest as I grunted with exertion. Lucia moved in front of me, and I desperately moved my wooden blade to block or parry her attacks as she struck at me relentlessly.

"I-Is this all you've got?" I managed to say between blows. It was obvious I was bluffing, but my competitive spirit refused to let me admit defeat until the end. My friend grinned at me, her sky-blue hair dancing behind her in time with her movements.

"Do you really want me to give it my all?" She challenged as our blades locked together and we struggled for the advantage. Sweat rolled down my face as I stared into her eyes, my smile slipping slightly.

"Can I use magic…?" I asked hopefully, and Lucia smirked. She didn't seem the least bit tired, and I was just barely holding on as is. If she gets any more serious…

"Lydia!" She called out to the spectators sitting nearby. "Audrey's trying to cheat!"

"I-I am not!" I shouted in response, gathering enough strength to push her back and create some distance. Even as I heaved for breath, I maintained a defensive stance. Lucia stood, looking completely relaxed, yet somehow didn't have a single opening.

"No magic, Audrey." I heard my girlfriend's chiding voice come from my left and glanced at her. She sat in the shade of a tree, enjoying what looked to be a nice cup of tea as Leah stood behind her. Koyuki lay in the grass at her side, her mouth locked on a little rope that Lydia sat on, tugging at it furiously. Adorable. The humans had an amused look on their faces as they watched, and that only spurred me on more.

"I'll definitely win!" I said, flashing the girl I loved a confident smile. It was a bold declaration, and everyone knew it. I'd never beaten Lucia before, and that was before she had three additional years to train. I can't doubt myself! That's the first step to losing! As I hyped myself up, I suddenly sensed danger and bent backwards, more out of sheer instinct than anything else. The tip of Lucia's wooden sword cut the air right where my neck had been, and I quickly recovered myself.

"You shouldn't get so distracted in a fight!" The knight said as she closed the distance again. The speed of her attacks increased, and I felt the reverberations all the way to my shoulder as her sword struck mine repeatedly. After a few moments, the strain began to affect my arms, so I focused on dodging, rather than blocking.

I just need a single good hit! I thought, but I just couldn't get a strike in. Lucia had me on the defensive, and I just couldn't find a way out of her rhythm. I watched carefully for any opening, and I finally found one a few clashes later. Lucia had slightly over-extended her swing, and I ducked beneath her blade before lunging forward.

Right as the tip of my weapon was about to hit her chest, she suddenly spun away, and my back hit the ground a moment later. My friend stood over me, a triumphant grin on her lips as she held her wooden blade against my neck.

"What a trap…" I mumbled with wide eyes. Right as I closed the distance, she swept my legs from beneath me. I laughed tiredly, using my arm to wipe the sweat from my face before two towels floated over to us. Using magic to dampen them, Lucia and I cleaned ourselves up the best we could while thanking Leah.

"I know it's important to train, but it's not like I'll ever get better," I said. I wasn't trying to put myself down; it was just the truth. My strengths lie with my magic, and I'd long accepted that fact.

"Maybe," Lucia said, extending her hand out to help me up. "But you had fun, right?" I grinned as I took her hand and let her pull me to my feet.

"You've got me there. Let's go again once I rest a bit." I said excitedly. "Maybe we can include magic in the next bout?"

"As if that would end in anything less than an instant loss for me." She replied. "I'd prefer to keep my winning streak. Being better than a divine guardian makes me feel a certain way."

I raised a brow at her teasing and fired back in kind. "Oh? Even better than Abel when he—" Her face reddened, and her hands clamped over my mouth.

"Why do you always bring him up?!" She half-shouted, completely flustered. Lydia and I had squeezed all the juicy details from her before we left Jarno two days ago, and we hadn't let it go ever since.

"It's because you react like that." Leah chimed in as we joined her and Lydia beneath the tree. "You and His Highness are both adults well into your twenties… There's no reason why you should be so embarrassed about your relationship."

"It's not that I'm embarrassed!" Lucia defended. "You all just accuse us of things we haven't even done yet!"

"Yet?" Lydia asked with an innocent smile. "And what are these things you've 'Yet' to do with my dear brother?" My mouth was finally freed, and the three of us laughed as the knight hid her face in her hands.

Honestly, I'd be lying if I said losing to her didn't frustrate me a bit, even if it was the expected outcome, but getting back at her this way made all my negative feelings disappear. It's all about the give and take. Lucia was older than us, even more so with the time difference we'd gone through, but in moments like this…

"I mean… We've shared a room before…" She mumbled behind her hands, cheeks still flushed. "But he's a caring and gentlemanly person, as you know… even the time I accidentally caught him undressing and couldn't help but stare at his—"

"Ah, stop! Stop it right there!" Lydia cut in, covering her ears childishly. "I do not need to hear anymore!" Leah and I were desperately trying to hold back our laughter, our heads turned away as Lucia panicked.

"W-Wait, That's not what I meant to imply!"

"I don't want to know either way! That's way too much information about my own brother!"

"But you three were the ones who started this conversation!"

The squabbling continued until the sunlight began to fade. We were currently on the way to the Rose Duchy to meet with the princes, and had stopped for the night in a small clearing. After setting up the two tents and the cooking fire, Lucia and I decided to have a sparring match before dinner. We were traveling via Leah's wind magic, so the two of us had plenty of energy to burn. The lady-in-waiting had insisted on flying us further, but Lydia had vetoed the suggestion.

Dinner was a simple chicken and vegetable stew made by Leah, using ingredients we had bought before leaving the city. I hummed in appreciation as I filled my bowl with seconds, having worked up an appetite. Lucia did the same a minute later, and it wasn't long before our bowls were empty again, and I was considering thirds until I frowned, realizing the pot was empty.

"Have the rest of mine, Audrey," Lydia said with a smile, having noticed my expression. The empty bowl in my hand was switched with the one she held. She had eaten half of her second bowl, but said she was full now. I happily accepted, then soon sat with my head on her shoulder, satisfied, as we relaxed around the fire. The four of us sat in comfortable silence for a while before going to sleep.

***

The trip passed peacefully, day by day, until we only had a few days left of the two week journey. Koyuki enjoyed the trip more than anyone else, her tongue lolling out as she stood from the bag on my back, enjoying the breeze. We shot through the air, surrounded by Leah's wind magic until she suddenly stopped to hover above the tree canopy.

"Leah?" Lydia asked, looking at her attendant.

"I hear screaming, my lady." Leah said. "About a mile southeast." Not only was she using her magic for travel, but she also used the wind to scout for us. I also kept my senses open through the shadows, and had sensed the mana flow of magic being used at the same time.

"Take us there." Lydia ordered, and Leah nodded. She turned us around and we soon saw the situation. A caravan of three wagons was surrounded by six large insect-type magic beasts.

"Tree Scythes?" Lydia murmured quietly. The large mantis-like creatures had brown, bark-like skin, and large tufts of what I assumed were leaves on top of their head, back, and limbs. It looked like they could easily blend into the dense forest surrounding us.

A group of adventurers were desperately fighting the creatures while a few other people hid inside the wagons, but they were outnumbered. I counted two men and two women, each facing down an enemy. I saw another man clad in heavy armor, a large shield next to him… but he was sprawled on the ground, the dirt around him stained red.

"Let's get down there!" I shouted, and the others nodded in agreement. We quickly devised a strategy… Then Leah dispelled her wind, and we plummeted to the earth right above the caravan. My twilight blade formed in my hand, and I let out a battle cry as I descended on one of the Tree Scythes, my blade slicing cleanly through its neck, killing it instantly.

Lucia fell on the one across from me, her sword failed to cut all the way through the insect's armor, but she soon dislodged it and deftly parried two slices from the magic beast's large, bladed arms. Dancing around its wild attacks, she positioned herself, then slid beneath its body, propelling herself with water and angling her sword upwards to slice through its soft underbelly. The creature collapsed behind her with a thud, and she flicked the green blood from her blade.

Leah floated out of reach from her mantis as it chittered angrily at her. Then… It also floated into the air as a small tornado formed around it. Sharp wind blades cut at it from every direction, and they didn't stop until the magic beast was turned into chunks of flesh and bone, which were promptly launched away into the forest.

Lydia crashed into the fourth enemy, her boots colliding with the side of its head. An explosion of white flame escaped from the soles of her feet, not only slowing her descent but blasting the large insect into the ground. She landed on its lowered head, and with incredible speed, she drew and loosed three arrows from her bow directly into the beast's hexagonal eye. The creature screeched with pain and bucked wildly beneath my girlfriend. Another blast of flame exploded beneath her, and she flipped gracefully backward, landing away from the beast. The mantis clambered to its feet, crying in pain as it turned to face her despite its severely mangled face. Lydia only smiled, then snapped her fingers. The three arrows embedded in its eye socket glowed bright before exploding, blowing the creature's skull to pieces.

That left two mantis… Or it would've, but I had already dismantled one of them with my shadows while holding the other one in place. Koyuki jumped from my back and stood before the large insect. She growled menacingly, which only looked cute due to her size, before icy mist formed around her mouth. With an adorable howl, she released a storm of hail that pierced the mantis's chitin, felling the much larger beast soon after.

The other adventurers just gaped at us as we swiftly killed the magic beasts threatening them. I rushed over to the man lying on the ground, my holy magic already enveloping my hands as I tried to heal him. We hadn't been able to see it before, but the front of his armor was shredded with a deep, massive cut into his torso. The warmth was already gone from his body. His party snapped from their stupor when I rushed over to their fallen comrade, and the two women in the group began to cry as I shook my head.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly. The two remaining men comforted their weeping companions despite being on the verge of tears themselves. Giving them space to grieve, I went to join Lydia and the others, who were checking on the wagon's occupants. Koyuki rushed over to us, and sat patiently while Lydia and I heaped praise and pets upon her.

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

It seemed the shield-bearer had been the only casualty. The other adventurers all sported injuries, but luckily, none of them had been severe. Once they had all calmed down, Lydia and I quickly healed them.

"Thank you for saving us." The swordsman said, his expression still dark. "The Tree Scythes caught us by surprise… We didn't even know they were there until it was too late…" His gaze flicked to the body of his friend. The other adventurers were slowly removing the equipment from their leader's corpse.

"What do you intend to do?" Lydia asked softly.

"We'll burn him… It's what he always asked of us when it happened." The swordsman's voice trembled with sadness, but his gaze was steady. After we checked the area, we stood off to the side as the adventurers said their final goodbyes. They laid their leader's body in the middle of the dirt road, then took turns kneeling beside him to say their final goodbyes.

My heart hurt as I watched. I didn't even know these adventurers' names, but my chest was tight with emotion as each of the men thumped their fists against their dead friends in a gesture they had no doubt shared countless times. After the swordsman and mage backed away, the ranger threw herself around the man's neck, sobbing violently until the last woman, who looked like a rogue, laid a gentle hand on the archer's shoulder.

The younger girl finally stood, tears still streaming down her face as she took a step back. The rogue then knelt, her slender hand caressing the dead adventurer's cheek for a moment before she leaned down, slowly laying a chaste kiss on the man's lips. When she pulled away, I saw her lips move, but we were too far away to hear her hushed words.

The woman stood, then turned to take the younger girl in her arms as they joined the men. It was only then I noticed the two shared similar features. The mage raised a hand, and I felt the mana in his body surge as an orange flame appeared above his hand. He then pointed it toward the body of their leader and released it. The fireball engulfed the fallen man, and we watched for a moment before Lydia stepped forward.

"May I?" She asked the grieving group as she called on her white flame. Their eyes went wide for a moment before the adventurers all nodded. My girlfriend added her flame, and the fire turned white, then gold as she infused the blaze with her stella. The difference in power was immediate as the man's body burned to ash in seconds, and the flame went out. "May he find peace with the spirits," Lydia said as the ashes were swept into the air by the passing breeze.

"Thank you." The rogue took Lydia's hands in hers as silent tears ran down her face. "He would've appreciated being sent off so beautifully."

"I'm sorry we didn't get here sooner." My girlfriend replied with a sad look, but the older woman shook her head.

"Don't be. Being an adventurer is a risk… One we all take. He only went on before us." She looked over her shoulder at the ranger who was still being comforted by the other two men. "We'll carry him in our memories until the day we meet again."

The sentiment struck a chord with me, and the tears I had been holding back finally broke free as I thought of my mother, of Auntie and Uncle. I knew Lydia felt the same because she bit her lip as she nodded in agreement. Even Leah and Lucia's expressions clouded over as they watched on.

Afterwards, we stuck around to say goodbye as the caravan continued on its journey, and the rogue gave us the standard goodbye of our profession.

"Thank you again. May we meet at the quest board again someday." It was a phrase we had heard for the first time when we had left Grunde and said our goodbyes to 'Shining Wind' and Cassandra. Back then, it had been a warm goodbye… Now it carried a weight. Just like us, these adventurers had lost something important in a single day. I didn't know what their relationships were, but it was apparent that losing their leader would have a lasting impact on them for the rest of their lives.

"Let's head out as well," Lydia said as she watched the caravan go. "I wish to see my brothers."

"Of course, my lady," Leah responded, and her wind magic once again lifted us into the air.

***

Lydia

I realized all too late that we had never exchanged names with the adventurers, but despite that, what I saw today had a profound impact on me. What that rogue had said was a truth of life, not just adventuring work. After all, everything I'd known had vanished in an instant long before I wore the guild's insignia.

The only sound was the wind whistling as Leah carried Audrey, Lucia, and me toward our remaining family. It was in that silence my goddess spoke, probably sensing my emotions.

"Would you like to hear my opinion, Dia?" Her voice was uncharacteristically serious, and I closed my eyes to focus on her. "I admire you and Audy."

"Why?" Her words took me by surprise.

"Because, despite everything you've been through, you continue forward."

"That's only expected. We continue on because we have to." Yet, my goddess shook her head.

"No. The two of you have a strength that exceeds even divinity."

"And what's that?"

"It's like that woman said. You carry the memories of everyone you've ever met. They leave something within you. Your parents and brothers… Audrey's mom and sister… Your friends. Even after they're gone, you will always carry a piece of them, and they of you. It's those bonds that define humanity." She paused and breathed deeply. "You and Audy are a shining example of what it means to be human, and that's what gives you strength." I was speechless, but her words warmed me. The heaviness I had been feeling dissipated, and I found myself smiling.

"Thank you, Azure." I finally said.

"Anything for you, Dia." She replied. It was unlike her to be so serious, but despite her usual relaxed demeanor, I knew she cared about us.

When I reopened my eyes, I saw Audrey's expression had lightened up as well. I had no doubt her goddess had also spoken up, evidenced by the silver glow cracking through her blue eyes. Looking back, Leah and Lucia both looked normal. Perhaps it was because they had grown accustomed to seeing such things, or maybe they were hiding their emotions. Either way, I reached back to take their hands.

"We won't lose anything else," I promised. Both my attendants' eyes widened in surprise for a moment, then they nodded.

***

The last few days passed quickly, and the closer we got to the resistance headquarters, the more my heart pounded. When my feet finally touched the ground outside the city walls, I found myself frozen in place. My brothers are here, waiting for me. The thought terrified me for some reason, now that we were finally here. It wasn't until Audrey took my hand and pulled me forward that my legs began to move.

Pernan was the second largest city in the Duchy, so we had to go through the main gate. Luckily, all it took was a flash of our guild ID cards, and we were soon walking down the busy roads. It was still afternoon, so there were plenty of people about. Still, we all pulled up our hoods to hide our faces. Being this close to the capital, we could be recognized, especially Audrey, since she had been paraded to the border three years ago for the war effort.

We walked for what felt like an eternity before Leah stopped before a storefront. It was a simple one-story building made of green and white brick, featuring a colorful sign adorned with flowers. I looked at her in confusion before she gestured to the door.

"This is it." With that, she led the way inside, and my mind began to whirl as I searched the room for my family and saw… nobody. Only pots and vases of various plants littered the space until an unfamiliar girl emerged from the staff area, wearing a dirtied apron and gloves.

"Welcome to lily's florist! Please give me a moment—" She started before her eyes landed on us. Leah had removed her hood, and the girl's eyes sharpened. They shared a look before the girl turned around on her heel and disappeared into the back room again.

"Huh?" I made a noise of confusion, but Leah just followed behind her, guiding us to the back area. We walked through the staff-only area before exiting through the back door and walking toward an innocuous shed in the small garden. The girl unlocked the wooden doors of the small building before turning to face us.

"Welcome back." It was all she said before leaving us to re-enter the store. My lady-in-waiting held the shed doors open for us, and we all stepped inside before she let the doors once again close behind us. There was a metallic click as they locked automatically, and I looked around the dark and dusty storage area, but still didn't see anything other than gardening tools.

"Leah? What's going on?" I asked. My anxiety had only increased the longer it took to see my brothers.

"I apologize, my lady. We're almost there." Leah moved to the back of the shed, where a stack of empty pots sat. She moved one of the larger ceramics to reveal a small staircase leading into the ground. Audrey and I shared a glance before following Lucia and Leah as they disappeared into the darkness. The tunnel we entered was small, barely big enough to fit one person at a time, and only dimly lit by small magic lanterns. We walked for a couple of minutes before stopping at a metal door. Leah knocked, and a window opened in the center as someone peered at us. This feels familiar…

I pushed the distracting thought away as Leah shared an exchange with whoever was behind the door, and it soon opened for us. We stepped into a brightly lit room bustling with people and Audrey and I gaped in shock at the comfortable-looking space, and the pup on my girlfriend's back looked around with visible excitement. A clean carpet stretched across the floor, and there were plenty of tables and chairs situated throughout the room. The walls were made of stone brick and even featured some decorative elements. All sorts of people worked on documents or moved around, but they all stopped to stare at us as we entered.

"You can remove your hoods as well. Nobody here would betray us." Leah said, so my girlfriend and I did just that, and a susurration filled the room as some of the people recognized us.

"Her Highness and the divine guardian…? How?"

"Have the spirits blessed our cause?!"

"Are things finally turning around?"

Leah ignored them as she led us across the room and into another brightly lit hallway that matched the room before it.

"Are we really underground?" Audrey asked in awe as she looked around, and Lucia nodded with a smile.

"All the newcomers ask that. It took some trial and error, but the entire complex is situated beneath Pernan, with various entrances, including the one we used."

"I assume you used earth magic?" I asked curiously. "It must've taken quite a bit of time, especially while keeping quiet." And the knight nodded at my observation.

"The few earth mages we had to start with certainly worked hard, but as our numbers grew, the workload lightened." I could only murmur my amazement, but magic has always made the impossible a reality. It really did seem like we were in any ordinary building, save for the lack of windows.

As Leah guided us, we passed through various rooms. There were bedrooms, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens. The room we had first entered seemed to be an administrative space, as we caught glimpses of similar areas as we walked further. I even noticed an armory and training rooms.

"It's like a whole castle…" Audrey murmured, her head swiveling toward everything of interest. She's just the cutest! The effect was compounded by the wolf pup on her back, which seemed to be mimicking the redhead. I let myself be distracted as my amazement began to fade, being replaced by trembling anxiety.

I could sense them now. Thanks to my divinity, I knew we were drawing closer to my brothers. My senses weren't nearly as good as Audrey's, since she could use her shadows as an extension, but even if their magic felt slightly different then how I remembered, I could never mistake it. When Leah stopped us in the hallway, I stared at the wooden door before us, knowing they waited just on the other side.

I want to run away. I didn't know why the thought crossed my mind, but I had to force it back. Am I… Scared? The exact cause eluded me, but my throat went dry as I thought about what was about to happen. As I tried to calm myself down, I glanced at my attendants, now older than I remembered. Even if it was subtle… Leah and Lucia had changed in our absence. I had noticed how Leah was much more aggressive now, how Lucia's blade had become more ruthless. It wasn't enough for me to think of them any differently than I had before… But the fact still remained, and it was then I understood my own heart.

I'm terrified that the people on the other side of this door are not the loving, teasing brothers I remember. It has only been two months for me, but they have been through so much… They had believed me and Audrey to be dead, alongside Mother and Father. The loss of our parents had changed me, so how could I expect them to be the same as they were after bearing it much longer than me? Seeing my frozen state, Leah wrapped her arms around me from behind in a rare display of open affection.

"It's alright, my lady. You have no reason to be afraid." Her whisper was laden with sisterly affection, and I nodded as I steeled myself. Audrey stepped up beside me as Leah pulled away, having handed Koyuki off to Lucia. She took my hand, and we shared a smile before I knocked on the door.

"Come in." Two voices came from the other side in unison—A bit different then I remembered, but still brought me an immense sense of comfort as I opened the door, and Audrey and I stepped inside.

***

West of Jarno

This is turning into a hassle… Saintness Vivian thought to herself as she stared out the window of the trundling carriage. The rough dirt road made her body ache, despite the luxurious furnishings that lined the vehicle's interior. First, that guildmaster dares to waste my time, and now I have to track down the girls myself?! Absurd!

The guildmaster of Jarno's adventurer's guild had been quite stubborn and had refused to reveal the identity of the adventurers responsible for clearing the sand mines. At least, until the saintess had used her authority within the spirit church to pressure the woman. Still, it had taken a few days before the guildmaster had finally cracked, but all Saintess Vivian earned was a vague answer.

"They went west!" She said. "I don't know exactly where!" She said! I should be out helping people and basking in praise and admiration, not the soreness of my rump! The saintess complained internally while keeping a peaceful expression on her face. Even if she was alone in the carriage, the holy knight escorts riding on their horses outside could still see her. The sacred woman had never expected to be the one sent to find this potential Divine Guardian. When she'd made her report, she'd thought the pope would send a task force of paladins and knights. Yet, here she was, having been given the duty herself.

"Still… there are other, less important saints they could've sent." Her true thoughts leaked from her lips, and she quickly caught herself. She shook the thoughts from her head, then leaned against the carriage wall as her mind drifted to what she'd learned from the guildmaster.

"Audrey… Lydia… B-Rank adventurers. Leah… Lucia… A-Rank. The party called 'Stars of Dawn'..." She mumbled to herself thoughtfully. The saintess had thought it unlikely the potential divine guardian was one of the B-ranks as first, but the guildmaster revealed that the A-ranks had joined only after the sand mines were cleared, so it had to be one of the younger girls.

"As soon as I find them, I'll drop them off at the nearest cathedral for training, then find some poor, desperate souls to bestow my grace upon."